Wirelessly Triggering Smart Devices

ABSTRACT

An electronic tag for wirelessly triggering smart devices includes an electronic tag configured to generate a trigger signal based on a defined movement of the electronic tag. The electronic tag is configured to transmit the trigger signal to a smart device using a Bluetooth protocol to initiate a programmed action by the smart device in response to receiving the trigger signal.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to wirelessly triggering smart devices.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Smart devices such as smart phones are increasingly being used formultiple applications, which include intruder detection, medical andtheft alerts, entertainment and communication. Typically, existing smartphones require multiple inputs to initiate an action. Also theinitiation of actions on existing smart phones is often not intuitivefor users.

There are systems available for wirelessly triggering smart devicesusing protocols such as ZigBee® and Wi-Fi®.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an electronic tag as specified in claim 1.

The invention also includes a wirelessly trigger smart device system asspecified in claim 7.

The invention also includes a method of wirelessly triggering a smartdevice as specified in claim 14.

The invention also includes a method of wirelessly transmitting an alertto a smart device as specified in claim 18.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be well understood, some examplesthereof will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system comprising a smart deviceand an electronic tag for wirelessly triggering the smart device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of use of the electronic tag as analerts provider; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of components of the electronic tag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The described examples disclose electronic tags for wirelesslytriggering smart devices using gesture or motion based detection overBluetooth® low energy (BLE) capabilities. The triggering of the smartdevice may be substantially instantaneous. The example electronic tagsmay also allow the end user to remotely and wirelessly trigger smartdevices in an intuitive and user friendly way. The example electronictags may also function as an alerts provider.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 comprising a smart device 102 and anelectronic tag 104 for wirelessly triggering the smart device. The smartdevice 102 may be a smart phone. The electronic tag 104 is programmedwith gesture or motion detection algorithms for generating triggersignals used to trigger the smart device 102. The electronic tag 104 maybe BLE enabled so as to communicate wirelessly with BLE enabled smartdevices 102.

The smart device 102 is programmed to understand the trigger signals itreceives from the electronic tag 104. For example, an end user of theelectronic tag 104 may perform multiple gestures or motions such as asingle shake, double shake, left tilt or right tilt of the electronictag that are translated into specific trigger signals that are sentwirelessly with BLE to the smart device 102.

The smart device 102 is programmed to recognize the trigger signalsgenerated by the electronic tag 104 and perform pre-programmed actionsin response. The actions may be configurable by the end user or aprogrammer. For example, the smart device 102 may be programmed fortriggering a music player 106 on receiving a trigger signalcorresponding to a single shake from the electronic tag 104.

As illustrated with reference to FIG. 2, the smart device 102 may alsobe programmed to receive alerts when a medicine is not taken at ascheduled time. To facilitate this function the electronic tag 104 maybe attached to a pill box 108. Using motion detection, the electronictag 104 is programmed to send alerts to the smart device 102 wirelesslywith BLE when the patient has not taken the medicine at a scheduledtime. Specifically, the electronic tag 104 is programmed to determinethat the medicine has not been taken if a movement of the electronic tagis not sensed within a predetermined timeframe.

Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic tag 104 may be a generallyrectangular body that is 30×30×5.8 mm in dimension. The electronic tag104 may be provided with one or more optical output devices, which maybe LEDs 110.

The electronic tag 104 is provided with a power source 114, which may bea coin cell such as a CR2032 capable of delivering 3V when theelectronic tag is in an active mode. The electronic tag 104 is providedwith a sensor 116 to sense movements of the electronic tag. The sensor116 may comprise a multi-axis accelerometer or gyrometer and in someexamples may comprise both. The electronic tag 104 is provided withcircuitry 118 configured to caused to generate a trigger signal(s) inresponse to sensing a defined movement(s) of the electronic tag andcause the trigger signal to be transmitted using a Bluetooth protocol.The circuitry 118 may comprise a microcontroller or a processor. Thecircuitry 118 may comprise a Texas Instruments CC2451 chip with aBluetooth low energy system enabled on chip.

The Bluetooth protocol used for wirelessly transmitting to the smartdevice 102 may be the Bluetooth 4.0 low energy standard.

It will be understood that the smart device may be a mobilecommunications device such as a so-called smart phone programmed tooperate in conjunction with the electronic tag 104. Alternatively, usersmay enable a smart device to operate in conjunction with the electronictag 104 by downloading, or otherwise loading, a suitable ‘app’ onto thesmart device. The app may be configured to enable operation with smartdevices equipped with Android™ or Apple® operating platforms.

It will be understood that the disclosed electronic tags allow end usersto remotely and wirelessly trigger smart devices in an intuitive anduser friendly way wirelessly over BLE.

1. An electronic tag for wirelessly triggering a smart device, saidelectronic tag comprising: a sensor to sense movement of the electronictag; and circuitry configured to generate a trigger signal in responseto sensing by said sensor of a defined movement of the electronic tagand cause said trigger signal to be wirelessly transmitted to a smartdevice using a Bluetooth protocol to initiate a programmed action bysaid smart device in response to receiving said trigger signal.
 2. Anelectronic tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic tag isconfigured to transmit said trigger signal using a Bluetooth low energy(BLE) protocol.
 3. An electronic tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidcircuitry comprises at least one of a processor and a microcontrollerunit.
 4. An electronic tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensorcomprises an accelerometer or a gyrometer.
 5. An electronic tag asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said circuitry is configured to cause thewireless transmission of an alert signal to said smart device using saidBluetooth protocol if said sensor does not detect movement of saidelectronic tag within a predetermined period.
 6. An electronic tag asclaimed claim 1, wherein said circuitry is configured to generatedifferent trigger signals in response to the sensing by said sensor ofrespective different defined movements of the electronic tag.
 7. Awirelessly triggered smart device system comprising: an electronic tagthat has a sensor to sense movement of the electronic tag and circuitryconfigured to generate a trigger signal in response to sensing by saidsensor of a defined movement of the electronic tag and cause saidtrigger signal to be transmitted wirelessly using a Bluetooth protocol;and a smart device configured to receive said wirelessly transmittedtrigger signal and initiate a programmed action in response to receivingsaid trigger signal.
 8. A wirelessly triggered smart device system asclaimed in claim 7, wherein said smart device has a music player and isconfigured to initiate a programmed action of said music player inresponse to receiving said trigger signal.
 9. A wirelessly triggeredsmart device system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electronic tagis configured to transmit said trigger signal using a Bluetooth lowenergy (BLE) protocol.
 10. A wirelessly triggered smart device system asclaimed in claim 7, wherein said circuitry comprises at least one of aprocessor and a microcontroller unit.
 11. A wirelessly triggered smartdevice system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sensor comprises anaccelerometer or a gyrometer.
 12. A wirelessly triggered smart devicesystem as claimed in claim 7, wherein said circuitry is configured tocause the wireless transmission of an alert signal to said smart deviceusing said Bluetooth protocol if said sensor does not detect movement ofthe electronic tag within a predetermined period.
 13. A wirelesslytriggered smart device system as claimed in claim 7, wherein saidcircuitry is configured to generate different trigger signals inresponse to the sensing by said sensor of respective different definedmovements of the electronic tag.
 14. A method of wirelessly triggering asmart device, said method comprising causing a defined movement of anelectronic tag to cause the electronic tag to generate a trigger signaland transmit said trigger signal wirelessly to said smart device using aBluetooth protocol to cause said smart device to initiate a programmedaction in response to receiving the trigger signal.
 15. A method ofwirelessly triggering a smart device as claimed in claim 14, whereinsaid trigger signal causes initiation of a music player action.
 16. Amethod of wirelessly triggering a smart device as claimed in claim 14,wherein causing said defined movement comprises selecting said definedmovement from a plurality of defined movements to cause the transmissionof a respective trigger signal to said smart device to cause said smartdevice to initiate a respective programmed action.
 17. A method ofwirelessly triggering a smart device as claimed in claim 14, whereinsaid defined movement comprises at least one of: a single shake; adouble shake; a left tilt; and a right tilt.
 18. A method of wirelesslytransmitting an alert to a smart device, said method comprising:programming an electronic tag which electric tag has a sensor to sensemovement of the electronic tag and circuitry configured to generate atrigger signal in response to sensing of a defined movement by saidsensor and cause said trigger signal to be transmitted wirelessly usinga Bluetooth protocol, wherein said programming comprises configuring theelectronic tag to send an alert signal to said smart device if movementof said electronic tag is not sensed within a predetermined time period.19. A method of wirelessly transmitting an alert to a smart device asclaimed in claim 18, further comprising attaching said electronic tag toa container containing a medicine.
 20. A method of wirelesslytransmitting an alert to a smart device as claimed in claim 19, whereinsaid container is a pill box.